The present invention relates generally to computers and software, and more specifically to a method and apparatus for monitoring informational resources, such as webpsites on the Internet or intranets.
The virtual explosion of technical advances in microelectronics, digital computers and software have changed the face of modern society. In fact, these technological advances have become so important and pervasive that this explosion is sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9cthe information revolution.xe2x80x9d Through telephone lines, cables, satellite communications and the like, information and resources are ever increasingly being accessed and shared.
Informational resources, which are typically interactive in nature, are a commonly used vehicle to share information and resources. Informational resources can take a variety of forms, including but not limited to HTML (hypertext mark-up language), XML (extended mark-up language), Java or ActiveX applets, still or moving graphics, audio, ASCII, text, and the like. For instance, informational resources are often provided on the Internet as websites, on an intranet as a page or document, on an e-mail system as a mail request, and the like. Whatever the particular form of the informational resource, a computer or group of computers are programmed to support the informational resources.
An object of the invention is to provide a system and method for monitoring informational resources. Additional objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows and, in part, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examining or practicing the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
One aspect of the invention is a method for use in conjunction with a distributed computer system. A plurality of host units access a network comprising a plurality of interconnected computers capable of sending and receiving data to and from one another. Each host unit supports one or more informational resources accessible through the network. A plurality of monitoring units, each located on a different computer in the distributed directory, are coordinated and access the network. The performance (e.g. accessability) of at least one informational resource is monitored by at least one monitoring unit.
Another aspect of the present invention is a computer system for use in conjunction with the Internet. A plurality of host computers each have access to the Internet and support a website on the Internet. A plurality of monitoring computers each have access to the Internet. Each of the monitoring computers is operative to transmit messages to and receive messages from one or more of host computers through the Internet and to monitor the accessability and performance of the corresponding host computers and supported websites. A managing computer has access to the monitoring computers. The managing computer is operative to transmit messages to and receive messages from the monitoring computers and to manage the monitoring computers.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is a method for monitoring an informational resource being supported by a host computer. The method comprises the steps of:
a) determining whether the host computer is pingable;
b) if the host computer is pingable, performing a ping operation comprising the steps of:
(i) sending a ping to the host computer;
(ii) determining whether the host computer responds to the ping;
(iii) if the host computer does not respond to the ping, sending a message;
c) attempting to access the informational resource; and
d) if the informational resource is not accessible, sending a message.